Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

"I know you've got something planned for today, so I won't take up any more of your time. Just one last reminder—marrying and having children during wartime is a major taboo. Don't you dare sneak around and cause any trouble! Otherwise, it won't be a matter of just a whipping..."

Kochkin's face stiffened, a hint of confusion lingering within it, causing Colin to raise an eyebrow:

"You haven't forgotten, have you?! During wartime, marrying a woman and having children without permission is a capital offense punishable by death! You've forgotten all that?"

Kochkin broke out in a cold sweat, his face turned pale, and his fingers trembled, causing the girl next to him to hold his hand with some concern.

Colin's expression immediately turned serious, almost razor-sharp and fierce. He glared at the unreliable kid, then looked back at him with a grave expression before lowering his voice to ask:

"You two haven't slept together yet, have you?..."

This statement was far too blunt. It made Salina blush deeply, while Kochkin shook his head repeatedly.

"Of course not! It hasn't gotten to that point yet!!"

Colin nodded, seemingly relieved for the moment, but then continued speaking:

"Did you announce your marriage to anyone? Anyone, even strangers on the street?"

"No, I've only met with Salina's family once so far, and we haven't even talked about marriage."

"Then it's fine... As long as you don't have an illegitimate child, or there's clear evidence that you're getting married, it won't come to that... But you'd better keep your pants closed for me now! The war isn't over yet. If you cause any trouble, I'll personally chop off your head. Don't worry, I'll do it cleanly and neatly, so you suffer less."

Kochkin, as usual, tried to ease the tense atmosphere with a smile, until he realized—his boss didn't seem to be joking with him...

This thought sent chills down his spine, and he didn't want Colin to nod in satisfaction:

“That’s it. You need to be aware of this. You’re in the disciplined Imperial Army, and you can’t break military law… It seems you’ve forgotten quite a bit. Remember to memorize it when you get back. I’ll have Wolf test you. If you still can’t remember…”

........................

We should go find something to eat.

The mountain girl with short blond hair thought lazily to herself. Her chainmail shimmered with tiny golden light in the sunlight, the short sword hanging at her waist slapped against her round and powerful thighs, and her leather boots were already covered with dust.

She wasn't tall, even below the average height of women in the Empire, but she wasn't ridiculously short either... Of course, all of this was on the premise that there wasn't a tall woman beside her whose height could surpass that of many men. This always left her with a sense of regret and resentment—especially every time that guy stood in front of her like a big tree, a strange bitterness and annoyance would well up in her heart, mixed with some unspeakable resentment.

The Empire's people all prefer tall, fair-skinned, and healthyly voluptuous women—that's practically a perfect description of Karila! Every word fits... Her skin is as white as winter snow, she's tall and healthy, and...

She lowered her head in frustration, her gaze falling unobstructed on her toes. Then, she quickly gritted her teeth, unabashedly speculating with the utmost malice... This guy's chest must be muscles! Hard, rock-hard muscles!

The Empire's people all like that, whether it's Dr. Tarina or that guy...

She sighed in frustration again, lowered her head, and her anxious and uncertain demeanor even began to attract the attention of passersby.

Who would like a short, tomboyish guy?

A slight noise sharpened her eyes, and a cruel and vicious will began to awaken within her—it was the sound of someone trying to approach, but they seemed unskilled on the hard floor, so she still noticed the subtle sound.

Most of the southern cities had just been conquered, and resistance fighters were frequently seen. It wasn't impossible that someone might spot an imperial officer alone and prepare to give him a severe beating. But she would make these people realize just how wrong they were... paying their dues with broken limbs, swollen cheeks, and shattered teeth!

She was prepared; as the opponent lunged, her elbow would strike their most vulnerable side rib, breaking and caved in, then snapping their arm and shattering their teeth…

A cold wind blew from behind, followed by two strong arms that clamped down like iron pincers, and the speed was astonishing. It was so fast that even the air between their hands could hardly escape. It was as deadly as the embrace of a strong brown bear, and bones would be crushed and flesh twisted in that instant!

Completely unprepared for the strength of the man behind him, Colin abandoned his previous plan and, without hesitation, drew his sword and viciously stabbed backward—a blow that would undoubtedly pierce the enemy's chest, and no matter how strong he was, he would convulse and fall to the ground under such a heavy impact.

This was a move aimed entirely at killing... After all, she didn't dare gamble on the consequences of showing mercy; her opponent was clearly no pushover. But unexpectedly, the sword failed to penetrate; her outstretched wrist was precisely caught, and those familiar, rough hands, with their powerful yet gentle force, caused the sharp blade to graz her clothes.

"This girl, you almost killed her, is this how you treat your old man?"

Colin froze for a moment, then without hesitation, he stomped hard on the animal-hide boots. Amidst the other's gasp and scream of pain, he angrily exclaimed:

"Salatag, what's wrong with you now, you old bastard?! I almost killed you just now!!"

The embarrassed middle-aged man finally stopped squatting down and rubbing his toes. He scratched his head and opened his mouth several times, but in the end, he didn't say anything... Could it be that he did it on a whim again? He would be scolded to death if he did that.

Colin knew what kind of person his father was, so he didn't pursue the matter too much, but he still showed a curious expression at the end:

"Dad, what are you doing here? This is the south! There's still fighting nearby, how did you manage to sneak in here?"

Saratag gave a smug smile:

“Who do you think I am? I’m your father. Do you think I’d be scared by something like this? It’s just that you’ve been fighting for so long, and I was a little worried… Although I brought everything over with you, I was still uneasy, so I hitched a ride with you.”

"This area is blocked off, except for supply convoys... Could it be that you went into one of the convoys?"

"Yes, I found a job there. They provide food and drink and even pay me. It's much easier than before. I've left the village affairs to those old guys..."

At this point, the weathered-looking middle-aged man suddenly paused, cautiously glancing up at his daughter:

"And I really missed you, so I decided to come and see you."

Colin's nose suddenly stung with tears, and he immediately turned his head away so the man in front of him wouldn't see it. His voice was somewhat muffled as he said:

"Let's go then, I'll take you to get something to eat... It's not easy to get into the military camp, but there are many good places to eat here."

--------

Chicken broth, topped with a layer of pale yellow oil, was boiling, along with tender taro and seasoned parsley. Lamb, lightly pan-fried in oil and mixed with chopped onions, was sandwiched between two halves of toasted bread, the crust still slightly charred.

Saratag ate with remarkably carefree abandon, one in each hand, and each bite taking a chunk out of the two large loaves of bread filled with mutton. In the blink of an eye, they were completely devoured. Afterward, he picked up a bowl of chicken soup and gulped it down to soothe his throat before picking up a third loaf to eat, carelessly wiping the grease from his hands onto his animal-skin trousers.

Colin, on the other hand, was much more restrained, eating more slowly and leisurely, but he still felt somewhat helpless watching his father eat like a starving ghost.

"Dad, you look like you're starving. Surely our family isn't that poor?"

"No, that's not it. When I was at home, I ate plenty of meat, not to mention what I hunted nearby, I could also buy cheap meat at the nearby market. But I did suffer a bit along the way."

"They provided us with plenty of food, but it wasn't very oily, so we were really looking forward to a proper meal. I didn't expect to find you here. It's quite a coincidence."

"We just finished a battle, and it's our turn to take a vacation."

Saratag ate another meat sandwich, then used his spoon to scoop the chicken that had sunk to the bottom of the bowl into his mouth. He didn't even leave behind the condiments and taro, slurping and eating with great gusto. Although his eating manners were rough, they were strangely appealing. It was a way of eating that could easily whet the appetite of others. He didn't think about anything else, but simply enjoyed the taste of the food and the feeling of fullness.

"You're definitely not full yet, hey girl, bring us another set of the same... but no alcohol, we can't drink too much."

Surprisingly, there were no other mountain people in the tavern, as if they had all avoided the place. Only Saratag was drinking and eating without restraint, quickly finishing off the newly served bread and broth before letting out a satisfied burp and stopping.

"Hiccup! Speaking of which, I saw that kid Kochkin on my way here. He was dressed up like a proper gentleman, and his boots were so polished they were practically reflective. I guess it was because of that pointy-eared little girl next to him... Tsk tsk tsk, I never thought that rascal who used to steal things everywhere would end up like this. I bet he'll be having a baby soon..."

Colin rolled his eyes expressionlessly:

"Dad, just say what you want to say directly. Why beat around the bush like this?"

Saratag slapped his thigh:

"I'll just say it outright, what's all the beating around the bush? When are you going to find a good young man? You're already an old maid."

Colin didn't even look up before attacking the chicken in the bowl with his three-foot fork:

"There's no time for that now, so don't make things worse. We're in the middle of a war, and I'm just taking a break from work... Anyway, we'll talk about it later."

These words were quite perfunctory, almost as if the words "I don't want to communicate" were written all over his face. But as a father who had watched his daughter grow up, Saratag keenly sensed a peculiar meaning, a strong intuition, a firm judgment, and a feeling that made his heart sink, but at the same time, he felt a sense of relief.

After a moment's hesitation, this burly middle-aged man adopted a cautious posture, and after a long pause, he tentatively asked:

"Have you already found a young man you like? Who is it? Could it be General Tersolius?"

With a snap, the fork in the girl's hand broke in half, and wood chips fell into the meat.

Chapter 323 Saratag (2)

In some situations, distinctive actions can also be powerful answers, even more direct and sharp than language, allowing the questioner to instantly realize the answer to the question.

"...You little rascal, you really have wild ideas."

Saratag looked wistful, but beneath the surface lay a strange sense of pride. It was like watching his own child hunt lions, marveling at the child's growth.

Colin's face was flushed red; he couldn't argue, nor could he admit it. He froze like a statue, though his posture suggested an urge to smash a bowl on the table into the man's face.

"As expected of my daughter, you have ambition! But if that's your mindset, then there's nothing I can do to help you."

This recaptured Colin's attention, and Saratag continued:

"If that Tersolius weren't such a high-ranking and powerful figure, I'd take two men and knock him down from behind with a club, then tie him up and bring him back... and then we'd make it a fait accompli!"

Before she could finish her sentence, Colin pounced on her father's face like a tiger, grabbing his beard and pulling it up forcefully to shut his outspoken mouth.

"You old bastard, you're still so outspoken! Have you any common sense? I don't even feel safe leaving you out here anymore. I'll find an excuse to send you back tomorrow!"

"Okay! Alright... I understand... Open!"

After a brief period of playful fighting, Saratag finally broke free and calmed down a bit, but after rubbing his beard, which had been pulled so hard, he still couldn't let go of the previous topic:

"I'm serious, girl, you're really ambitious! What's there to be afraid of saying? Just like men want to find beautiful women, women definitely want to find capable men! Anyway, I've never seen anyone more outstanding than him, and on this point, I absolutely support you!"

“If this were anywhere else, I might advise you to be a little more realistic… but don’t forget you’re in the Empire’s army. Here, I believe in you, my daughter. With your abilities, you’re sure to become a general! What’s there to be afraid of?!”

Colin, however, was no longer angry. Perhaps it was a case of "what's the use of trying" or "I'm done with this," and he was no longer bothered to hide it... He lowered his head and mumbled:

"But there are still many people who like him... me..."

Saratag had lost his earlier playful demeanor and became serious. This middle-aged man with a weathered face usually acted like a wild child, but only when he was truly serious did others realize the tenacity and strength he possessed... something unique to this mountain people, something honed in the struggles with tigers, leopards, bears, and wolves.

So you're scared?

Colin abruptly raised his head, his eyebrows twitching.

"There's no such thing as being afraid..."

“You’re just scared, you can’t muster the courage… you feel like you can’t do it anymore, you can’t fool me.”

"Just like those guys who get scared out of their wits by a bear on their first hunting trip, you think you're not good enough before you even start!"

The man's voice suddenly grew louder, attracting the attention of many people around. Colin realized he couldn't stay there any longer, so he hurriedly threw down a few copper coins, grabbed his father, and rushed out the door, leaving behind the other guests who were puzzled and curious.

........................

When the conversation is interrupted and you want to continue, it always creates a strange awkwardness, leaving you unsure where to begin, even if you have a lot to say, there's something subtly awkward about it...

The two of them are currently in this state, but fortunately, neither Colin nor her father are people who care too much, and they quickly adjusted their state.

"Alright, Dad, stop messing around. You have no idea what's going on."

"If you don't tell me, of course I won't know! What exactly happened? Just tell me clearly, and that'll be enough."

In the damp alley, the two continued their argument, while Saratag displayed an unusual stubbornness, insisting that his daughter explain her pathetic state.

"If you don't like that man, I won't say anything more... but you clearly like him, so why are you acting so timid?"

“You don’t understand… that person is simply too dazzling. Even the warriors of our mythology could not have done what he did… how could I…”

"Oh, I see."

The man suddenly nodded with a knowing look on his face.